winter wonderland
by Layla2
Summary: Songfic: Music and Mother Nature give Harm and Mac that much-needed push....


This is my first attempt at songfic, so bear with me. If you like it,   
a not to that effect would be much appreciated. :o  
  
Song is by John Mayer, from the album "Room for Squares".  
  
All copyrighted material used under fair use privilege of USC Title   
17. No infringement intended.  
  
Layla  
  
******************************************************************  
"winter/wonderland"  
  
  
  
*******  
Harm's apartment  
North of Union Station  
Early December, Saturday  
late morning  
  
Mac breathed a sigh of relief as she finally reached the top of   
the stairs outside Harm's apartment. Normally, she'd have considered   
the broken elevator a minor inconvenience, but when hauling a   
briefcase, another bag loaded with her law books that rivaled a full   
field pack in weight, yet another bag filled with law books that Harm   
had forgotten the night before, and a bakery bag filed with fresh   
pastries (the afternoon's survival rations), the minor inconvenience   
became a major pain in the posterior. She took a few more steps, then   
decided that discretion was indeed the better part of valor. She set   
down the two bags of books to retrieve later, after she got rid of her   
other burdens and her bulky winter coat.  
  
Pausing as she straightened, she finally registered the soft   
sounds drifting through the door. A slow, lilting, whimsical tune,   
being played softly but with deliberate care, reached her ears. It   
was clearly not a recording; still, it had literally been years since   
she'd heard Harm playing his guitar. He must've found a new song he   
had to learn.  
  
She listened for a moment, eyes drifting slightly closed, head   
titled to one side. The melody, even with the rare occasional   
'hiccup', was hypnotic and sweetly, innocently seductive.   
Interrupting it seemed like a crime... And Harm was expecting her to   
show up at any moment...  
  
Without a sound, she slowly tried the door handle, which opened   
under the slight pressure. Like an uncertain child, she poked her   
head around the door first, before slowly moving in, and was   
unexpectedly entranced by the sight before her.  
  
His dark head was bent over a few pages of handwritten music,   
studying they with his usual intensity, even as his long, nimble   
fingers picked out the melody. The toe of his right foot unconsciously   
tapped out a slow tempo, and his focused concentration made itself   
evident in the way he occasionally stopped his soft humming of the tune   
to bite at his lower lip in contemplation.  
  
Willingly entranced by the hypnotic music, Mac's thoughts   
scattered until one made its way to the forefront.  
  
"Damn, I wish we didn't have to work on these comments for the   
revised evidence rules."  
  
Instantly, the trance was broken as Harm's fingers drug   
discordantly across the strings. His head snapped up in surprise, and   
he lost his balance, the stool and him wobbling as he nearly fell off.   
"Mac! What-- why didn't you say something?!" he gasped out, before   
grinning. "You trying to give the old man here a heart attack or   
something?"  
  
She smiled back, sheepish. "Sorry... I didn't mean to-- er, I   
didn't realize I'd said that out loud," she explained. " I just...   
Well, I haven't heard you play in ages, and it's such a beautiful song,   
that it seemed like a shame to disturb you right away..." her voice   
drifted off, shyly uncertain.  
  
"No problem... I understand," he said, smiling, even as he began   
gathering up the sheets of music. "I kinda hate to stop playing-- it's   
such a great song. Still, we need to get to work if we want to have   
any hope of having this done in time for Monday." He moved across the   
room to put the guitar back in its stand, before tucking the   
sheet music in a desk drawer.  
  
"I know, I know. It's jobs like this that make being a junior   
clerk look appealing," Mac replied, having returned with the heavy bags   
of books and hefted them on to the counter. "So what's the song?"  
  
"Hunh?" Harm looked up from the legal pads, folders, and such   
he was retrieving from his desk.  
  
"What's the song you were playing?" Leave it to Harm to have   
his head in clouds even when he wasn't flying, she thought as she   
unpacked her own briefcase and began setting up to work at the kitchen   
table.  
  
"Oh, just something I heard on the radio," Harm said casually,   
but he was grateful for her preoccupation. Otherwise she might have   
noticed the faint but distinct blush creeping up his face.  
  
As it was, he was thanking whatever higher power had kept her   
from recognizing the music. A simple song making the mighty Harmon   
Rabb blush? Damn straight.  
  
He'd first heard it about a week and a half ago, the unusual   
melody catching his ear while he worked at home. When the whispery,   
tentative voice filled in with the lyrics, he couldn't help but close   
his eyes, letting his mind and imagination drift off into their   
favorite activity: dreaming of Mac.  
  
*************  
We got the afternoon  
You got this room for two  
One thing I've left to do  
Discover me  
Discovering you  
  
One mile to every inch of  
Your skin like porcelain  
One pair of candy lips and  
Your bubblegum tongue  
  
And if want love  
we'll make it  
Swimming in a deep sea of blankets  
take all your big plans  
and break 'em  
This is bound to be a while  
  
Your body is a wonderland  
Your body is a wonder  
(I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland...  
***************  
  
  
"Harm? ...Harm... Haaarrrrmmmmm..." Mac sighed. Harm had   
always been fairly easily distracted, but this was getting ridiculous.   
Oh well, every now and then it *was* useful to be the only Marine in an   
office of squids... "CADET RABB, SNAP TO!!" she bellowed in her best   
drill-instructor voice, and was immediately rewarded with Harm dropping   
everything he held and snapping to attention, purely out of reflex.  
  
The pens were still clattering across the floor when he realized   
the trick. "That was rotten, Marine," he chided, grinning, before   
moving to pick up the scattered office supplies. "If you wanted my   
attention, all you had to do was ask, not resurrect my Academy   
nightmares."  
  
She gave him a dirty look. "I did, Harm. Three times."  
  
"Oh." Whoops. Score another one for the Marines. "Sorry. I   
guess my mind's been wandering a bit today," he said sheepishly.  
  
"Must've been somewhere good. The look on your face was   
absolutely blissful," she commented, taking a seat at the table.  
  
Once again, he felt the blush creep up his cheeks, even worse   
than before, but blessedly, she was busy looking at her notes, not his   
face. Whew... close one.  
  
As he joined her at the table, some imp of the perverse asked   
him why he didn't just come out with it. Oh yeah, that'll go over   
well. 'Actually, Mac, I was daydreaming about making slow, sweet love   
to you in a heavenly soft and warm bed. So, let's see, where were we?   
Section 24-3-6, subsection (c)?' This could only get two possible   
reactions from her, and both of them ended with him in some sort of   
pain. Thanks, but no thanks. The dreams will have to do for now; he   
wasn't about to screw things up again by moving too fast.  
  
Shoving the music and the dreams to the back of his mind, he   
dismissed her comment. "It's nothing. So, where were we? Section 24-  
3-6, subsection (c)?"  
  
  
*************************************  
Hours later... well after midnight, but before dawn  
  
  
His first thought was an odd one: why on earth was his nose   
hurting? He cracked open an eye, only to see a page of printing   
*really* close. Oh... that's why. He'd fallen asleep face down in his   
old evidence textbook, looking for an obscure case reference.  
  
His second thought was simple. Mac's gonna kill me for nodding   
off on her. Hell, she probably already had most of the comments done   
for the current hearsay exception chapter. Crap.  
  
With an inward groan, he slowly straightened up in the chair,   
his back protesting the movement after hours of inactivity, and looked   
up, trying to come up with a passable excuse/apology for Mac for   
drifting off...  
  
And found himself looking at a deeply asleep Sarah Mackenzie,   
curled up in chair, her head resting on her arm.  
  
Looking at her, he noted the empty coffee cup near her elbow,   
and the pen that had fallen from her grasp. Damn, this stupid project   
was really wearing them out...  
  
The hell with it. He'd take full responsibility for this if   
they didn't get done. Right now, they were both so exhausted it was   
doubtful they were getting anything useful done anyway. Now, if he   
could only pull this off without getting his clock cleaned for it at   
some point...  
  
He made a quick trip to the bedroom, trading his slacks and   
shirt for black flannel pajama pants and an old t-shirt, worn soft with   
age. It was too cold for either of them to take the couch; besides,   
the thing was downright uncomfortable to sleep on anymore. Hopefully   
she wouldn't be too mad at sharing... He turned back the blankets,   
then returned to the kitchen.  
  
He bent down next to her, speaking quietly. "Mac...?" a soft   
murmur was his response. Good enough. "Hey Marine, it's late, and   
we've getting nowhere. We need some sleep, okay?" Another soft murmur   
and a drowsy nod, and Harm grinned. God, he loved her like this.   
"Okay, ninja-girl, I'm just gonna move you somewhere more comfortable,   
so don't kill me here, okay?" he said, carefully sliding an arm beneath   
her thighs and another around her back and gently pulling her close.  
  
Her head lolled against his chest, a sleepy smile gracing her   
lips as Harm carried her to the bedroom. With infinite care, he set her   
on the bed, letting her head gently fall on to the pillow. He removed   
her shoes and socks, and after a discreet check, gently pulling off her   
sweater, leaving her in her jeans and a plain white t-shirt.  
  
He pulled the covers up over her lithe frame, then crawled in   
himself on the other side of the bed. Pulling up the covers all the   
way, he saw she'd rolled on to her side, facing him. He smiled, and   
settled down into the bed. "Good night, Mac," he whispered, softly   
brushing his lips against hers before drifting off, a smile on his   
lips.  
  
  
********************************************  
The next day... afternoon  
  
  
Something was making a very annoying shrill beeping noise. Damn,   
the phone. Forcing himself awake, he grabbed the handset and rolled   
out of bed, moving into the living room. "Rabb," he mumbled, still   
tired.  
  
"Late night, Commander?" Oh, crap... the Admiral. Or, to be   
more precise, the Admiral, their boss, who knew damn well that they, or   
at least he, wasn't working on the massive project due the next   
morning.  
  
"Sir... uh... actually, yes, sir, it was." The hell with it.   
He'd just explain the situation to Chegwidden, and take the blame like   
he'd planned. "Sir, I... I'm afraid me might be a little behind on the   
project, sir. We tried sir, but... we were up until o-dark-hundred   
last night working on this, sir. I guess our short naps ran a bit   
long. It's entirely my fault, sir... I'm sorry."  
  
"Relax, Commander." Wait... it sounded like Chegwidden was   
still in a good mood...?  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Even I hadn't convinced the printing office there was no way   
those notes could be ready Monday, you got a reprieve. Look outside."  
  
He glanced toward the window, and saw white... and nothing   
else. "A storm?" he said, half to himself.  
  
Chegwidden had heard. "That's putting it lightly," he snorted.   
"Looks like D.C. was overdue for a blizzard, and now it's here. Best   
information I've got is that it's going to take at least a full day to   
get the roads cleared. Add to that the power is out at JAG, and...   
Well, consider this your official notice. The office is closed   
tomorrow, and likely the day after, due to the power outage."  
  
Harm said the only thing that came to mind. "Thank you, sir."  
  
"Don't thank me, Commander, thank the weatherman," AJ said   
wryly. "By the way, I haven't been able to reach the Colonel..."  
  
"She's here... asleep, sir. She was here working last night,   
and was too tired to drive home."  
  
"Imagine that. See you in a day or so, Commander."  
  
Harm returned the farewell, then hung up the phone. Thankfully,   
it looked like all the utilities were still working, although his alarm   
clock provided blinking proof that the power had gone out at some   
point.  
Silently moving to the bed, he checked on Mac, only to find her   
still sound asleep. He studied her a moment, reaching down to gently   
brush away the stray lock of hair that had fallen across her face.   
Like this-- her face relaxed in deep slumber, her body curled slightly   
as she slept-- she was the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen. She   
was so beautiful to him it was almost painful.  
  
Finally awake, he left he to sleep. Despite his fatigue, he   
felt restless. He was at loss for what to do, until he spotted the   
guitar in the corner. Surely, if he was quiet, it wouldn't disturb   
her...  
  
  
  
  
  
She came awake slowly, the soft music gently teasing her from   
sleep. Harm was playing the song again, very softly, but this time he   
was singing as well.  
  
Silently, she crept from the bed, too intrigued by the music and   
person playing it to spare a thought for being embarrassed at waking up   
in her partner/best friend's bed.  
  
Moving slightly around the glass louvers that separated the   
bedroom, she could only watch and listen, entranced, as Harm, eyes   
half-closed, played and sang, the words now clearly reaching her...  
  
***********************  
Something 'bout the way  
Your hair falls in your face  
I love the shape you take when crawling  
towards the pillowcase  
  
You tell me where to go and  
Though I might leave to find it  
I'll never let your head hit the bed  
without my hand behind it  
  
You want love?  
We'll make it  
Swimming a deep sea  
of blankets  
Take all your big plans  
And break 'em  
This is bound to be a while  
Your body is a wonderland  
Your body is a wonder  
(I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland...  
*****************************  
  
  
His voice trailed off, the guitar carrying the tune. And that   
was when he looked up and saw her. His hands froze on the strings,   
knowing his face and voice had given him away.  
  
Mac took a tentative step forward. She knew she shouldn't ask,   
that there really was no way, but maybe, just maybe... "It's   
beautiful... and you sing it so..." Just ask, dammit. "Who is she?"  
  
"What?"  
  
She smiled, a slight touch of sadness. "It's obvious you're   
singing it with someone in mind. Who is she?"  
  
Harm could only stare at her. She didn't really think... How   
could she not realize...? "You don't know?"  
  
"No, Harm. I don't."  
  
He took a deep breath. "You, Mac."  
  
Her eyes went wide, frozen in shock. Oh, hell, this was going   
to go downhill fast unless he did something quick....  
  
Almost without conscious thought, his fingers resumed playing,   
picking up the melody. A moment later, his voice picked up the bridge   
of the song, changing one critical word....  
  
****************  
Damn baby  
You frustrate me  
I wish you're mine all mine  
But you look so good it hurts sometimes  
***********************************  
  
A deep breath, and he plunged forward into the chorus...  
  
**********************************  
Your body is a wonderland  
Your body is a wonder  
(I'll use my hands)  
Your body is a wonderland  
***************************  
  
  
He played the chorus twice, before letting the melody drift off   
and daring to look at her once more. Her expression was a mix of   
amazement, hope, and joy. She took the few steps needed to stand next   
to him. An uncertain hand touched his cheek with featherlight   
fingertips. "Would you... play it again? For me? The whole song," she   
asked, stumbling slightly over the words.  
  
He could only nod, and she took a step back, leaning against the   
couch as he began playing. This time, as he began to sing, he looked   
into her eyes, trying to touch the soul inside, begging, pleading,   
cajoling, calmly desperate for her to understand everything he was   
putting into the words and music.  
  
He finished, the music trailing off. It was several long moments   
before either of them moved or spoke, with Mac being the one to break   
the silence. "How long have you been working on this?"  
  
He nodded towards the stereo. "I picked up the cd about 2   
weeks ago. It took me about half that just to figure it out."  
  
She nodded. "The cd over there?"  
  
Hunh? "Yeah. It's in the stereo already."  
  
She moved over to the stereo, and a moment later the same   
lilting melody began playing as she walked back over to him. "I saw   
the snow outside," she commented. "Any word from the Admiral?"  
  
"Uh.... yeah. There's no power at the office, so it's closed   
tomorrow, probably Tuesday as well." What the...?  
  
She stopped in front of him, face to face. "Good," she said,   
gently drawing the guitar out of his hands and laying it aside   
carefully. "I've got other plans."  
  
What little rational thought Harm had been managing promptly   
fled as her lips sought his. The kiss was long, sweet, and   
intoxicating as the most potent drug. Long moments later, they   
finally broke apart. "Mac?" he asked, breathless.  
  
"Come on, Harm... we've got the afternoon," she said, smiling   
as she led him towards the bedroom.  
  
END 


End file.
